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MAKING ELECTRICITY
Fossil fuel power stations burn coal, oil or gas and use the heat
released to make electricity. Fossil fuels such as coal and gas
store chemical energy. The power stations put this fuel into a large
boiler and set fire to it. The boiler also contains water. When
the fuel burns its chemical energy is changed into heat energy and
this changes the water into steam. So a boiler is just like a huge
kettle.
 Kilroot
power station near Larne produces electricity in this way by burning
coal and oil. The steam is superheated to over 500ºC and sent
through pipes to the turbine. The steam is under pressure, just
like the air in a tyre. This means that the steam has lots of mechanical
energy.
The steam goes through the turbine's blades making them spin 3000
times in one minute. Once the steam has gone through the turbine
it enters a condenser which changes it back into water. This water
is then sent back to the boiler and is heated all over again.
The turbine is connected to a generator, this is a large magnet
and lots of wire. When the magnet spins 3000 times a minute the
generator makes electrical energy.
The electrical energy is fed through the power station to the substation.
The substation or transformers make the electricity stronger so
that it can travel through the pylons.
The electrical energy travels through the Northern Ireland transmission
grid, through pylons and into our homes, schools, offices, street
lamps traffic lights and everything else that needs electricity
to work.
Click here to see an animation of how
a power station works.
Remember everytime you switch on an electrical appliance, the energy
that makes it work probably started out as chemical energy in coal,
oil or gas.
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